Hadlow College: Visit Broadview Gardens in the Weald of Kent

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Nestled in the outskirts of a small town in the Weald of Kent is a stunning landscape filled with inspiring garden designs.

Broadview Gardens, is located behind the garden centre and is part of Hadlow College.

It is managed by their head gardener and the colleges’ students who have won lots of awards.

These include the best ever in show at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, a gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show as well as winning RHS Chelsea Floristry College of the year 2015.

This award-winning experience is being put to practical use in the gardens and is set over eight acres, where you’ll discover a variety of stunning and surprising features.

Each corner offers a new vista such as the grasses garden, the fountain garden, the oriental garden, the subtropical style garden, the Italian garden and the dry garden.

Broadview gardens in Hadlow, also holds the National Collection of Hellebores - sometimes referred to as the Christmas Rose or Lenten Rose and the National Collection of Japanese Anemones.

Visitors to the gardens will experience new delights – flowers and plants for every season, as well as a range of unusual varieties and collections.

Each year, from September to May, students build new gardens on themes from domestic backyards, show gardens and public landscape styles using an extensive variety of plants and materials in common and innovative ways.

Children and parents can have fun in the swing park or enjoy a picnic on one of the many lawns dotted around. Visitors can also take advantage of a well deserved cup of tea and cake in the Broadview tearoom offering fresh local produce.

For visitors who want to create their own garden then they can buy an extensive range of fabulous plants and garden products from Broadview garden centre, where experienced and knowledgeable staff will offer advice on any gardening issues too.

Food lovers can also visit the farm shop which is located nearby and will soon move to the same site as Broadview.

Hadlow College's partnership with Produced in Kent means that the farm shop provides a range of locally sourced fresh produce such as fruit, eggs and vegetables, as well as meat, condiments and other foods.

Martin Bradshaw, Broadview Gardens' Manager, said: "Broadview Gardens has something to offer everybody.

“You could easily spend the afternoon here walking around the gardens, visiting the tearooms and perusing the farm shop.

"The bonus is that, as part of the college, it provides hands on experience for our students, who not only learn from working in the gardens and displaying their work, but also provide a wonderful place for visitors to enjoy - which is free.

"This gives the students lifelong practical learning and skills for their future careers."

To find out more see www.broadviewgardens.co.uk

Entry to the gardens is free.